29 October. Judge Dredd Megazine will include a bagged tribute to the late Carlos Ezquerra. "Carlos' death was a profound shock, not just to everyone at 2000AD but also to his fans across the world," says editor Matt Smith. "This small collection of his stories shows not just his evolution as an artist but also a sense of his incredibly consistent quality over more than four decades."

28 September. Glenn Fabry has revealed that he is suffering from lung cancer. "I’m coming out! I’ve got lung cancer, will keep you updated on what will be a fucking riveting story of love and hope and dreams! And lung cancer. Keep tuned to this channel! Or if not fuck off im Ill." here's a link to his Facebook page.

26 September. The new Striker weekly has been hit with distribution problems. Copies of issue 2 didn't reach W.H.Smith outlets. A limited reprint was ordered which should now have reached Smiths, but the knock-on effect will be a delay of a week before issue 3 is released.

... and farewell Joe Gordon. who left Forbidden Planet International on Friday the 7th. Sadly, FPI revamped their website in late August and appear not to have archived the old one, which is a huge shame.

7 September. "To the Death" by Simon Furman and Geoff Senior, which appeared online in 2016, will debut in the Great Big ComicScene Annual 2019, to be published in December 2018. Furman has said on Facebook that "there is more print TTD news coming as we move [into] 2019."

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Saturday, December 06, 2014

Commando issues 4763-4766

Commando issues on sale 4th December 2014

Commando No 4763 – Ambush In The Ardennes
When Lieutenant Alexandre “Lex” Mertens joined a Belgian Special Forces unit late in World War II he knew he’d be in for a tough time — hit-and-run raids in heavily-armed jeeps were never going to be easy.
What he didn’t expect was to be called on to defend a village full of civilians from rampaging German forces and to have to take command of his new comrades. He didn’t know if he’d be up to the job but for the sake of the civilians and his own men, he was going to have to be.

Story: Ferg Handley
Art: Rezzonico
Cover: Janek Matysiak

Commando No 4764 – Doom River
Had they survived the landing at the deadly river-mouth, mined and ambushed by the Japanese, and fought their way through the horrors of the jungle, just to be picked off on this ridge by Japanese planes?
Was this the finish — here, when below them lay the secret Japanese airfield they’d come so many blood-stained miles to destroy?
Was it blazes!

Introduction
Although every Commando story starts life as a plot line, sometimes it’s not the story that grabs your attention, sometimes it’s the cover, sometimes it’s the inside art. That is certainly the case here. Alonso’s pants-on-fire style of illustration socks you in the eye and keeps the tale racing along.
Once you get past the art, you can appreciate that it’s a well-worked, complicated plot that Alonso is working with. There’s jeopardy round every corner and enough friction between the characters to start a small fire — see the comment about Alonso’s style.
Cover artist Chaco holds his end up well, reducing the amount of colour in the illustration to show that it’s night, but also showing up the gun flashes and the probing searchlight. A good job by all three.—Calum Laird, Commando Editor

Commando No 4765 – Desert Deception
Tony Borelli had been born in England but his parents were full-blooded Italians so, when World War II broke out, he looked likely to be detained in an internment camp with other foreign nationals.
Tony, though, enlisted in the British Army and became part of a highly secret intelligence unit operating in the deserts of North Africa.
His CO believed Tony’s fluent Italian was an asset to the team and didn’t consider his roots important. Unfortunately, not all Tony’s comrades were as convinced that he could be trusted.

Story: George Low
Art: Morahin
Cover: Janek Matysiak

Commando No 4766 – Phantom Panthers
They did not exist as far as the Allies were aware — four lethal Panther tanks hidden away in a secret lair from which they would strike with devastating force when the time was right.
The British had a phantom of their own with which to hit back…though they did not know it!

Introduction
Throughout Commando’s 53-year history, Military Policemen (MPs) have been used by authors as a handy plot device or character archetype. On many occasions, these Army law enforcers have been officious, bullying types, bringing trumped-up charges against our plucky, salt-of-the-earth heroes.
In Phantom Panthers — drawn by the inimitable and much-missed Denis McLoughlin — we buck the trend. MP Sergeant Bill Cuthbert is likable, brave, honest…and determined to solve a battlefield mystery. Once more, Commando can turn expectations on their heads and — as we see here — the results are all the better for it.—Scott Montgomery, Deputy Editor

AVAILABLE NOW!Forgotten Authors Vol.1Click here for details and payment options"This is utterly fascinating: what a terrific accomplishment! It has held and engaged me. Authors who are only names have been documented and recorded, from the pathetic to the successful, and everywhere in between. This is incredible research, and I cannot begin to thank you enough for sharing it. I’m dipping into it with absolutely enormous pleasure."—Richard Bleiler"Recommended for anyone with an interest in the history of books, book publishing, obscure authors or even researching family history. Looking forward to Volume 2"—Amazon review.

AVAILABLE NOW!The Men Behind Flying Saucer ReviewClick here for details and payment options"Beginning in 1955, the Flying Saucer Review has been key to chronicling the appearance of Unidentified Flying Objects and the latest theories of why they have been appearing in our skies. A dedicated group of enthusiasts - amongst them an accountant, a publisher's editor, a test pilot, a novelist and a member of the House of Lords - were amongst those who helped put together this remarkable magazine. Who they were and how they came to work together makes for a fascinating tale, some of it as curious as the phenomena the magazine studied."

AVAILABLE NOW!Countdown to TV ActionClick here for details and payment options."The perfect compliment to my set of Countdown/TV Action" - Graham Bleathman."A wonderful trip down memory lane. Recommended" - Paul Simpson, Sci-Fi Bulletin"If you read Countdown as a child, you'll be fascinated by this account of its making ... indispensable." - John Freeman, Down the Tubes"The definitive history of the title" - Lew Stringer, Blimey!"I urge you to grab a copy and give Steve Holland a tip of the hat for the amount of hard work, research and love he's poured into making a book of information become an interesting story" - Barnaby Eaton-Jones, The Cult Den

Lion King of Picture Story PapersClick here to order"It's a great read in itself and has sent me back to the Lion comic to re-read some of my childhood favourites. The pictures are reproduced crystal clearly and even this old man can read the original art ... It's a gorgeous book and if we are snow-bound as the media has been saying for weeks, I have plenty to keep me amused this chilly January weekend!" - Norman Boyd.

Sexton Blake Annual 1941Click here to order"If you've been meaning to give Sexton Blake's adventures a try, this would be a great place to start. I've seen the actual annuals go on Ebay for three or four hundred bucks, so this is definitely a bargain too." - Singular Points.

Peter Jackson's London Is Stranger Than FictionClick here to order"The original books have been highly collectable for many years now, but finally they’ve been republished in a single volume from Bear Alley Books ... for the ridiculously reasonable price of £14.99. Do yourself a favour. " Christopher Fowler.

OUT OF PRINT!ArenaClick here for details and payment options"This book goes straight to the top of my large reading pile" - Graeme Neil Reid"With reality TV overload and the rise of the risque and the brutality of today’s society, this story still has a pertinent message for those of us who are willing to listen to it. In fact, I think the story is more relevant today than it was in 1979." - Colin Noble, Down the Tubes"The story is a fun read, but the star of the show is the art. Alcatena is a class act." - Hibernia Comics